Yesterday (May 14), ASAP Ferg shared a new song called “MDMX,” but the tune is raising questions about what name the rapper is going by these days.
Did ASAP Ferg Change His Name?
The new song is credited to just “Ferg,” not “ASAP Ferg.” The song has not yet made it to streaming platforms, where his name is still listed as ASAP Ferg (stylized as A$AP Ferg). His name is listed as just Ferg, though, on the Roc Nation website, as well as on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.
When Ferg signed with Roc Nation in 2021, Variety noted that Ferg “will go by just Ferg for his non-A$AP efforts.” A statement from Roc Nation also noted, “Ferg is very much still part of the Mob, and is A$AP Ferg within A$AP Mob… Ferg as an individual artist and with his solo career is Ferg.” So, unless the plan has changed since then, it appears he will go by both Ferg and ASAP Ferg depending on the context.
Meanwhile, Ferg also just made headlines for his new Gabby Elan grill. The piece pays tribute to late figures like Takeoff, Virgil Abloh, and ASAP Yams by featuring their faces on it, as Complex notes.
ASAP Ferg is the second-biggest member of ASAP Mob. Rocky will always be the biggest, since he broke through first, but Ferg proved that the crew had staying power. He’s been the most consistent member of ASAP Mob in terms of output and guest appearances. At least, he was. The rapper recently put out a new single, “MDMX,” and fans have noticed that he’s credited as “Ferg” and not “ASAP Ferg.” This has sparked a tidal wave of speculation that he’s left the crew for good.
The name change comes after years of struggle between Ferg and ASAP Mob. In 2020, various crew members implied that the rapper was no longer a member. ASAP Nast clarified this point on X (formerly Twitter), however, by stating that Ferg was very much involved with their musical output. He put out his next album, Floor Seats II, under the name ASAP Ferg, so everything seemed to be fine.
Ferg has been relatively quiet on the music front during the last couple years, which is what makes the name change so jarring. This is the first time Ferg has been officially credited without the “ASAP” prefix. A casual fan would be able to infer that this is a significant change.
Significant, but not as damning as it may appear. Ferg actually announced that he would be shortening his name back in October 2021. He issued a statement through Roc Nation, clarifying his plan and letting fans know that the name change does not reflect turmoil with ASAP Mob. “Ferg is very much still part of the Mob, and is A$AP Ferg within A$AP Mob,” the statement read. “Ferg as an individual artist and with his solo career is Ferg.”
Ferg’s actions since making the announcement have supported this. He reunited with ASAP Rocky to preview a snippet of an unreleased song on Instagram. Fans are hoping he shows up on Rocky’s new album, Don’t Be Dumb. ASAP Ferg also told High Snobiety that he could never envision a time in which he wasn’t involved with the Mob. “I don’t think there’s no breaking up of the Mob,” he explained. “It’s like, once you’re in the Mob, you can’t get out. This is blood in, blood out… You can never get out of the mob. So that’s not even a thing.”
The ASAP Mob would not have blown up without ASAP Rocky and ASAP Ferg. The former was the pop star who crossed over and eventually started a family with Rihanna. The latter was the eccentric rapper who embodied the crew’s singular aesthetic. They dominated the 2010s with classic singles like “Work” and “Shabba.” The 2020s, however, has been a different story. Rocky and Ferg have embarked on two different paths. Thankfully, all that is about to change. ASAP Mob’s two biggest members are back in the studio.
On May 8, ASAP Rocky got on Instagram Live to tease new music. The rapper has been hyping up his comeback album, Don’t Be Dumb, as a star-studded event, but what fans didn’t know is what Ferg was going along for the ride. Metaphorically and literally, in the case of Rocky’s Instagram. The two rappers can be seen sitting in a car and playing music that they just recorded. Ferg’s verse dominates what we hear of the unreleased song, but both men can be seen bobbing their heads. The production evokes a classic ASAP Mob sound, with frenetic drums and massive bass hits.
This is cause for celebration for anyone who grew up listening to both rappers. ASAP Rocky hasn’t put out an album since 2018, and Ferg’s relationship with the rest of ASAP Mob has been strained since he was reportedly kicked out of the group in 2020. Ferg detailed his issues with the group in the song “Big ASAP.” (ASAP Nast invited Ferg back to the group months later, but it’s unclear if he accepted the invite). Rocky and Ferg, meanwhile, haven’t been on a song together since “Pups” in 2019.
ASAP Rocky spoke on his relationship with Ferg during a 2020 episode of Drink Champs. He assured fans that things were good between them, even if they weren’t collaborating as often as they used to. “Everything’s lovely, man,” he asserted. “We all blessed to be here. Everybody doing they thing and everybody’s eclectically kind of like progressively being creative, doing they own thing… The hardest thing to do is to keep a group together and sh*t like that. That’s the hardest thing, bro.” It looks all the drama has been worked on, and fans will getting the music they’ve craved for so long.
The inaugural HARLEM FESTIVAL OF CULTURE just announced that the Harlem MC, A$AP Ferg, will join the main stage lineup on Friday, July 28. The epic three-day music festival, hosted by hip-hop Legend MC Lyte, celebrates the heritage and vibrant cultural mosaic of Harlem, showcasing a stunning spectrum of musicians, artists, and performers hailing from the iconic neighborhood and beyond.
On the opening day, Ferg will light up the stage alongside hip-hop pioneers and legends including Doug E. Fresh, Cam’ron, and MA$E, plus R&B icons Bell Biv Devoe. Friday’s lineup also features Estelle Presents The LinkUp—a high-energy reggae and dancehall ensemble featuring appearances by Lumidee, Max Glazer, Mr. Killa, Nadine Sutherland, Nina Sky, Rupee, Serani, Wayne Wonder, and many others. Day two, Saturday, July 29, brings with it a bevy of formidable talents headlined by multi-talented artist Teyana Taylor, whose Festival appearance in her hometown will mark Taylor’s first performance following last year’s The Last Rose Petal 2…The Farewell Tour. Additional performances on day two will include Muni Long, Major., Tink, Jozzy, and more.
The festival wraps up on Sunday, July 30, with sensational acts headlined by Wyclef Jean and music heavyweights Fat Joe, Remy Ma, Coco Jones, Eric Bellinger, Ro James, and Adam Blackstone, among others.
As part of its commitment to creating a holistic experience for attendees, HFC will extend its footprint to include a culinary court component featuring a wide range of offerings from local restaurants and food vendors as well as a reimagining of a Harlem staple with its Mart 125 Marketplace powered by SheaMoisture in support of small, Harlem-based businesses. Named and modeled after the famed economic hub and incubator that housed a number of small, Black-owned businesses located on 125th Street, this new iteration of the marketplace will celebrate the rich history and cultural and economic significance of Mart 125 – showcasing Black-owned, Harlem-based hospitality, retail, and cultural entrepreneurs.
Presenting Sponsors for The Harlem Festival of Culture include INFINITI, AMC Networks, SheaMoisture, Shark Beauty, Steve Madden, Northwell Health, and The Apollo.
Ticket purchase options for the Festival include a single general admission and VIP ticket as well as weekend bundles for general admission and VIP and a special discounted ticket for Harlem residents. For more information, please visit harlemfestivalofculture.com. The Harlem Festival of Culture will launch the weekend of July 28-30 with Festival mainstage events happening at Randall’s Island. Additional activations and events will take place at The Apollo and throughout Harlem.
It’s been several years since A$AP Ferg’s “Plain Jane” was one of the biggest hits on the radio, but as AllHipHop reports, the song is now at the centre of a lawsuit against Jay-Z’s Roc Nation. According to producer Kerry D. Brown, the renowned music label used his copyrighted beats on both that track, and more recently, on GloRilla’s “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” last year. The Krushial K. Productions managing member claims he previously met with RN’s vice president, Lenny Santiago in Houston in 2015, at which time the former gave the latter samples of his instrumentals in hopes of building a future working relationship.
Their meeting took place at The Hotel Derek’s Dealmakers Conference, and Brown asserts that he never transferred the official rights to his music when sharing the samples. In the following years, the southern-born creative came to realize that two of his instrumentals – “You Don’t Know Nothing About Me” and “AUDIOBOX Instrumentals” – were used without his permission on the aforementioned hits. In his lawsuit, Brown has chiefly named Roc Nation, Santiago, Sony Music Entertainment Digital, LLC and Blac Noize Recordings LLC.
Kerry D. Brown Calls Out Roc Nation Over “Plain Jane” & “F.N.F.”
“Within 21 days after this summons on you (not counting the day you received it — or 60 days if you are the United States or a United States agency, or an officer or employee of the United States described in Fed R. Civ. P. 12 (a)(2) or (3),” documents previously obtained by AllHipHop read. “You must serve on the plaintiff an answer to the attached complaint or a motion under Rule 12 or the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The answer or motion must be served on the plaintiff or plaintiff’s attorney.”
The producer made it clear that he didn’t receive a Notice of Intent to Use or any paid royalties from any parties involved. With his legal actions, he’s hoping to sue the label and others for copyright infringement, unfair competition, and paid attorney fees. Do you believe Kerry D. Brown’s allegations against Roc Nation? Let us know in the comments, and tap back in later for more hip-hop news updates.
Def Jam’s Armani White already won us over with “GOATED.” earlier this year, but now, the lyricist has more heat for your consideration. This New Music Friday (April 21), he and A$AP Ferg came together on “SILVER TOOTH.”, which samples Bow Wow’s 2011 track, “Take Ya Home” (produced by The Neptunes), as previously teased on social media. The new single was put together by July Da Producer, and will certainly be in rotation for many throughout the coming months.
“Ayy, used to have a silver tooth when I was just a pup, yeah / Now I got some killers who got shotties with the pumps,” the 26-year-old rhymes on the infectious chorus. For his part, Ferg comes in later with bars like “Walk around like I’m Nigo with the diamonds in the clock / Moonwalkin’ on these hoes, I got diamonds in my socks,” and “Might be funny like I’m Biggie but I’m ridin’ like I’m ‘Pac / I’m the king of your city, give a f*ck about your block.”
A$AP Ferg Joins Armani White for “SILVER TOOTH.”
While teasing “SILVER TOOTH” online ahead of its debut, Armani hinted that he’s got “another one” on the way in the near future, much to fan’s pleasure. Prior to today’s single, other recent efforts from the rising star include an appearance on JELEEL!’s “GNARLY!” and an updated version of “GOATED.,” this one featuring Denzel Curry. His last project, 2021’s Things We Lost In The Fire EP made a strong impression on listeners, who have been begging him to unleash an album soon.
Stream Armani White’s “SILVER TOOTH.” with A$AP Ferg on YouTube above, or add it to your Spotify/Apple Music playlist. Afterward, tell us your thoughts on the new joint track in the comments. For more HNHH release recommendations, check out our Fire Emoji and R&B Season updates later this weekend.
Quotable Lyrics:
Walk around like I’m Nigo with the diamonds in the clock Moonwalkin’ on these hoes, I got diamonds in my socks Might be funny like I’m Biggie but I’m ridin’ like I’m ‘Pac I’m the king of your city, give a f*ck about your block
There won’t be a unanimous winner in the debate between Power and BMF. Though the two share a few common factors (i.e. 50 Cent, crime dramas etc.), people often have a hard time trying to figure out which of the two is the better show. Power created a legacy that spurred three other spin-offs, including Power Book II: Ghost, which follows the story of Ghost’s son Tariq. However, BMF documents an incredibly important story of the rise of the Black Mafia Family. The show follows Big Meech and Southwest T from the streets of Detroit to reaching the American Dream before it crumbled.
The debate between the two shows became so prominent in television discourse that even their respective casts are beefing. Lil Meech has taken shots at Michael Rainey Jr., who plays Tariq, and Gianni Paolo, who portrays Brayden Weston. Both actors have fired back at the BMF star, as well. However, A$AP Ferg recently entered the chat in a heated debate with his uncle about the two shows and it seems like it damn near sparked a family feud.
As he and his uncle cruised around, Ferg revealed that neither of them could come to a mutual agreement in the BMF vs Power discussion. Ferg said that he picks BMF while his uncle chose Power. “We got a debate going, me and unc, on which one y’all think is better,” he said as his uncle laughed in the background. “I know y’all all watching Power — we got some Power lovers and some BMF lovers. I’m rocking with BMF all the way…. Fuck Power! Nah, just playing. I love both of them but I’m not gon’ lie BMF bodied Power.”
Ferg’s uncle tried to defend Tariq while the rapper echoed Big Meech’s sentiment about how the Power character has nothing to show for it. Ultimately, it’s 50 Cent that came out on top and A$AP Ferg made sure he gave the New York legend his credit. “@50cent congrats on creating a empire for us to look up too in film it’s admirable,” Ferg wrote on his Instagram Story. BMF recently wrapped up their second season while Power Book II: Ghost recently made its return after ending season 1 in Jan. 2021. Which show do you think is better? BMF or Power? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
This past weekend DJ Webster was joined by A$AP Ferg, Dave East, Dapper Dan and more for his annual Harlem Holiday Toy Drive to culminate a philanthropic during the holidays season.
The annual giveback had its biggest turnout to date with thousands of toy and coat donations collected on behalf of The Boys and Girls Club of Harlem andThe Dunlevy Milbank Community Center. Other guests included actor & comedian Mr. Commodore, Tidal’s Jason Kpana, Cash App’s Gary Johnson, rapper K Goddess and more.
During the event, Dapper Dan presented DJ Webstar with a Certificate of Recognition from the City of New York & Mayor Eric Adams for 20 Years of Service uplifting both seniors and the youth in his community. The honor also recognized his 12th Annual Toy Drive, this year being the biggest to date. Cashapp served as the presenting sponsor in partnership with both Tidal and Gap.
Later this week DJ Webstar will continue to visit families in need throughout Harlem distributing the thousands of donations that were collected at his 12th Annual Harlem Holiday Toy Drive.
Check out images from the Holiday Toy Drive below.
Credit: Jamel MartinCredit: Jamel MartinCredit: Jamel MartinCredit: Kyle Williams
